They don’t do any harm unless you are unfortunate to be one of the 1% of asthmatics that are allergic to sulphites, and since this thing doesn’t clear bound sulphites (even if it removes free sulphites) its no good for them.

If you didn’t want it how the wine maker intended, surely you’d go for something else?

Indeed.

Americans started getting worked up about sulphites in wine in the 90s, blaming it for all kinds of reactions. I remember them saying how when they cane to Europe they didn’t have these reactions when drinking wine as the wines in Europe didn’t have sulphites.

You never ever read or heard anyone in the UK referring to sulphites in wine, until post 2005…

Why, and what changed? The USA added a sulphite allergy warning to their wine labels from 1988 and the EU came into line with a sulphite warning in 2005

These devices really get me wound up! As @peterm says the actual levels of sulphites in wine is very very unlikely to cause any problem to the general population. There are higher levels of sulphites in a packet of dried fruit than a btl of wine . If people are really concerned then move toward organically produced which have lower levels again . Sulphites levels are strictly controlled within winemaking and the general Population is far more likely to have an issue with histamines in wine

That graph is staggering. It literally shows that drinking wine is the least of people’s worries if they’re concerned about sulphites! Eating your 5 fruit and veg / day must put your consumption through the roof!

The sulphite content in bacon is 600 - 800 ppm.(parts per million)
The dried apricots and raisins number will give you a myocardial infarction!! LOL!
And to be very controversial, I roar laughing the number of people these day who reject all sorts of food because of “intolerance” or “allergic” reasons.
Has the worlds population all of a sudden become super sensitive to so many products.
I am allergic to amoxicillin, which is a particular antibiotic. I know that because after many years of use, a dose reacted and my throat began to close. The rapid use of an anti-histamine brought me back from the brink.
The use of biological washing powders/liquids , the residue on hotel sheets where adequate rinsing causes a virtually instantaneous reaction.
For those who think that you are allergic or intolerant, then visit your GP. He or she will do the required test to confirm!! Few people are.
I honestly think that it has become almost “fashionable” to have one of these “conditions.”
People will believe almost anything, ref: the BRAND NEW diet that appears every January which has long been forgotten about by March. TIP, eat less in January and February and you will be fine.
And for those who wish to throw a brick in my direction, I once had a girlfriend who turned out to have the celiac condition. She had an utterly useless GP who in the end told her to only eat pasta!!??!! You couldn’t make it up. When it was confirmed what the problem was (with a specialist), with careful dietary management and a decent pair of reading glasses for the small print on labels; she was fine.
When you see quite how ill a celiac gets with an inappropriate foodstuff or me with Amoxicillin that came close to my demise, intolerances are very often the figment of imagination!!
Concerned, then get checked out by a medically trained professional and not someone with a diploma-by-post NOT “qualification”!

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They apparently will last about 4 to 5 years. And I was pleasantly surprised at how well it works. To be honest if I’d seen it for sale anywhere but TWS I’d have been so sceptical I’d never have bought it. But it is remarkably good.

However I think the eto decanter is the way I will be going on this front.

My only other gadget is my waiter’s friend, of which I have several, but my favourite is similar to this:Love Tiki Barware Products

What I really like about it is the two stage lever which makes it really easy and smooth to operate. What I don’t like is the blade for the foil which is not as easy as the style used by the TWS waiter’s friend. But that doesn’t have the two stage lever thingy…

Are you sure about that? Bacon contains nitrites (usually) but I’m not aware of sulphite use in bacon manufacture. I suppose it’s possible but that sounds a lot - and it is specifically banned from bacon production in some countries. Any chance of a reference?

Ah, right, thanks. There are some odd looking figures in there. For example, it may be right to say that free sulphite levels in wine trend towards zero, but the bound sulphites are still there.

But as for bacon, I think in the UK that if any preservatives beyond nitrites are used, then it will be the antioxidant vitamin C (ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate). Here’s a link to Waitrose’s document for people who do suffer from sulphite intolerance - as you can see all their bacon is below the detection limit of 10mg/kg. Waitrose list of foods for sulphite-intolerant. Other supermarkets do not appear to differ, though that’s just on a quick scan.

I’ve a feeling the author of that paper may not have been on top of his subject(!) Or perhaps American bacon may be different in respect of sulphites being allowed. I tried to Google but consumer information for the American shopper seems to be pretty woeful in this respect. Either way, I would treat that bit of information with a degree of circumspection.

I have used ascorbic acid to counteract the effects of the following morning syndrome. (buckets full of BIG Rhône’s accompanied by industrial quantities of Vintage Port)
Stopped using it, after the incidence of a kidney stone.
You do not want one of those.
My urologist confided in me that renal colic was akin pain-wise to a unpleasant childbirth!!
After that comment, I wondered how the human species had not been scuppered from early times. Quite why a woman might wish to endure that sort of pain more than once utterly defeats me, it really was the 10+/10 variety. He advised that rhubarb might be a contributor, and barely a mouthful has passed my lips since; even though I adore the stuff!

Hi Peter - I’m one of the 1% - to be fair, the vast majority of wines are fine, its just desert wines and some champagnes that seem to have excessive sulphite - price has no bearing. Usually I can detect it and it is slightly bitter - but VERY faint & in the back of the throat.

I have a tried and tested solution: Firstly avoid known culprits. Secondly have a small sip of a suspect wine and see if any reaction develops. Costs nothing.

I would be very suspect of a device which filters away free sulphites… what else will it filter away? a low level of sulphite is naturally occurring in every wine in anyway.

When this first came out I should it to to a very good chemist(not of the prescribing kind) and wine lover - he read the info and declared “what a load of B*&*%L@”

His review has been good enough for me!

I have friend (not the man art of the story!) who does get a headache from wines (and packaged foods) with (comparatively) high levels of sulphur

On the WSET courses you learn that the regulations come from excessive use of SO2 sprays in US salad buffets - at the end of service the buffet would be sealed with a few quirts of SO2…the gradual build-up was enough to cause one customer to die!